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| The Barb Wire |
| #Listrak\DateStampLong# |
The latest news from the State Capitol |
Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Barb’s Weekly Update
Last Saturday I attended the Army Expo ’25 at the Army Heritage Education Center. I had the opportunity to meet constituents who are history enthusiasts and enjoy the many events set up for the day.
On Monday, I met with Health Worker Ramlo Jire and Outreach Specialist Pam Price from the Sadler Health Center. We talked about their mission of food, transportation, clothing, employment and other basic needs and have information about them in our district office.
On Tuesday, I attended the Cumberland County 25,000 acres preserved farmland celebration at Lil’ Ponderosa Beef farm. Pennsylvania is one of the top states in the nation for farmland preservation and it is due to the work of organizations like the Ag Farmland Preservation Board, and efforts of our county commissioners, concerned citizens, and farmers alike. The event was hosted by Bob and Kate Boyce and included Pennsylvania FFA Director Mike Brammer, local and state FFA officers and our county commissioners. We must work together to make sure farming and corporate/industrial needs coexist.
Later in the day, I had a Family Policy Alliance meeting to revisit policy that is family friendly and much needed. Parents need to take a more active role in their children’s schooling, health, and activities, and any barriers to doing this must be eliminated.
We are welcoming our new district office manager, Trey Piper! You may know or have seen him at Precision Fly and Tackle Store in Mount Holly Springs, where he managed the store for five years after graduating Magna Cum Laude from York College. Trey will be taking on the duties of Kim Moorewood, who recently retired. Welcome Trey!
On Friday, we held our annual Farmers’ Breakfast at 9 a.m. at the West Pennsboro Fire Hall. If you have plans to attend the Family Life Center Autumn Fest Friday evening, you will most likely see me there.
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Ashburn, VA Data Center Tour
On Wednesday, I joined members of the Middlesex Township Planning Commission and Cumberland County Planning Board in Ashburn, VA, where we visited data centers. One of them, PowerHouse, is interested in building a facility in Middlesex Township. It was one of the most consequential tours I have ever taken as your state representative, with the opportunity to visualize what an 18-building complex would look like in a semi-rural area. Technology is constantly evolving, and I hope to put to rest any concerns you have regarding noise. The noise level was lower than that of an idling car, and in our schematic, the first building would be 1,000 feet from the nearest home.
We were shown two types of data centers – one with an internal heating and cooling system, much like your home air conditioning unit. This would require an initial draw of 250,000 square feet of water per building. Any additional need for water is minimal. The second type of data center (we saw two- and three-story warehouses) was an external air-cooling system, which would require millions of gallons of water, but could easily handle inside temperatures in the 80-degree range and would require less electricity. The way the data centers could be described is to imagine going into Home Depot, and instead of home goods on the shelving, stacked computers exist on each side of the aisle. We consume so much data with the use of our phones, cars, computers, etc., that data centers are being built all over the country. I was able to call businesses and legislative counterparts in Colorado, Ohio and Virginia, and will continue to gather information on how our state plans to build out next generation usage.
We obviously need more information. PowerHouse has not given the township a formal proposal, so most of this is still in the initial planning phase. We are thankful to PowerHouse and its staff for the detailed tour we received and the many questions they answered. As far as the township, this is a municipal decision. It is not a state decision; however, legislators have a responsibility to hear you and possibly write common sense policy that keeps our constituents safe and aware.
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Constitution Day
Wednesday was Constitution Day. In preparation, my office staff delivered nearly 1,800 copies of the U.S. Constitution last Thursday to schools in the 199th District. We live in a great nation, and it is our obligation to teach the next generation our history and how to conduct a civil society.
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New Scholarship Opportunity for PA Students!
America250PA, the state’s commission charged with helping to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, announced it is now accepting applications for its Semiquincentennial Scholarship Program.
The organization plans to award $250,000 in scholarships, $10,000 each to 25 deserving students attending Pennsylvania colleges and universities in the 2026-27 academic year. A dozen of those scholarships will go to students attending a Pennsylvania community college, while the remainder will go to students attending any Pennsylvania post-secondary college or university.
Additional information and a link to the application are available here.
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PA March for Life This Monday
Pro-life advocates from across the Commonwealth will gather at the state Capitol Monday, Sept. 22, for the Pennsylvania March for Life. The event kicks off at 10 a.m. with pre-rally praise and worship, followed by the rally at 11 a.m. and the march at noon.
Scheduled speakers include Ryan Bomberger, Radiance Foundation; House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton); Michael Geer, PA Family Institute; Jennie Bradley Lichter, March for Life; Sarah Bowen, Pennsylvania Pregnancy Wellness Collaborative; Pastor Chandy Thomas, Life Center; Dr. Robby Waller, emergency medicine physician at Penn State Health; the most Rev. Nelson Perez, Archdiocese of Philadelphia; and Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren/Crawford/Forest), co-chair of the bipartisan Pennsylvania House Pro-Life Caucus.
For more information about the event, visit MarchforLife.org/Pennsylvania.
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PFBC Offers Grants to Inspire Interest in Fishing and Boating
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is seeking applicants for grants to support education programs that promote new and renewed interest in fishing and boating through the recruitment of new participants, retention of existing participants and reactivation of former participants – collectively known as "R3."
The grants will reimburse qualifying organizations up to $25,000 for eligible expenses for projects conducted between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The grants require a minimum of 25% match of total project costs. The deadline to submit applications is Monday, Dec. 1.
Organizations eligible for funding include school districts, universities and colleges, community and civic groups, sporting and conservation organizations, and local recreation departments. More information, including the application, can be found on the PFBC R3 Grant Program page on the PFBC website.
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Fall Festivals for September in the 199th
• Middlesex Twp. Fall Festival – Saturday, Sept. 20, from noon to 4 p.m. at Middlesex Township Park.
• Carlisle Harvest of the Arts – Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on West High Street in downtown Carlisle.
• Sunflower Festival – Saturday, Sept. 28 and Sunday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Meadowbrooke Gourds.
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Oct. 4 Concealed Carry Seminar
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| Office Locations |
| District Office: 437 E North Street | Carlisle, PA 17013 | Phone: 717-249-1990 |
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| 427 Irvis Office Building | House Box 202199 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2199 | 717-772-2280 |
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